Process of refining saponifiable oils.



unrrnn s'rATEs PATENT curios.

CHARLES BASKERVILLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BASKERVILLE PROCESSES CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PROCESS OF BEFINING SAPONIFIABLE OILS.

1,246,379. No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES- BAsKEavmnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at NewYork, in the county of New York and ing, My complete process pre erably uti-' lizes some or all of the processes disclosed in my patents below mentioned, whereby certam combined advantages are secured.

In my prior Patent No. 1,105,743, patented August 4, 1914, I have pointed out that a portion at least of the coloring matter of cottonseed and similar oils exists in a colloidal state, and is coagulable under the action of certain electrolytes being thereby rendered easy of removal. In this case the electrolyte is used in presence of an inorganic absorbent having the essential qualities of fullers earth.

In my prior Patent No. 1,114,095, patented October 20, 1914, I have pointed out that the purification of the oils may be rendered even' more satisfactory by the use, in conjunction with fullers earth, or with fullers earth and an electrolyte, of an organic absorbent such.

as suitable forms of cellulose, the action of which is still further enhanced by the additionthereto of an alkali.

The foregoing processes are applicable to the treatment of refined oils. Inasmuch as the filtration processes are facilitated by the presence of the cellulose, it was pointed out in my Patent No. 1,105,744, patented August 4, 1914, that crude oils might be very effectively purified, and the uncombined acid eliminated therefrom, by agitation with cellulose impregnated with alkali, the alkali,

effectively neutralizing the acid components of the oil with the formation of soaps which were absorbed by the fibrous carrier. In this refining process the usual break is obtained by heating, and the foots, containing the cellulose, are filterable.

. In carrying out the above refining process on a large scale, a tendency was observed of the soaps to pass through the filter-cloths and to cloud the oils, involving a subsequent Specification of Letters Patent.

one to three per cent. of refined oil Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Application filed August 2, 1915. Serial No. 43,297.

cleaning with a little fullers earth. As disclosed, however, in my Patent No. 1,130,698, patented March 9, 1915, this difiiculty can be largely obviated by the addition of suitable dehydrating agents, includin drous salts as are capable of ta 'ng up water of crystalization, anhydrous sodium carbonate and sulfate being examples. The salts act to harden the soap and thereb reduce its tendency to emulsify with the 011.

My present invention relates to certain improvements in the general process above outlined, whereby the yield of refined oil may be somewhat increased, and valuable products obtained from the foots containing the cellulose.

The cellulose associated with the foots from the filtration persistently retains a material proportion of refined 'oil, and it has not proven practicable to reduce this proportion materially by any increase in pressure at the filters, when the pressure is exerted by the such anhy-,

oil itself, that is to say when the cake is quite wet with oil, containin perhaps as much as 25 per cent. of the who e oil. I have found, however, that an increase of yield of from may be obtained by removing the filter-.cakesfrom the press, and subjecting them, preferably while still warm, to mechanical ressure, for example in a hydraulic or ot er suitable press. Inasmuch as the additional oil thus obtained is of excellent quality, and no extra costs other than those ofpressing are involved, this represents a material economy in the refining process. If, as occurs in some cases, the oil obtained by'mechanical pressing carries some soap, it may be added to the next kettle or batch, cleaned at once, if desired, by the additlon of a little fullers earth followed by filtration under the usual conditions or by extra cost of about fifty cents. per ton of oil refined, in addition to the freight to the refine'ry on the properly prepared pulp. Me-

chanical paper pulp has not proven satisfactory, because aromatic orv tastable substances are extracted from it by theoil under the refining conditions; and moreover, its physical state is not such. as to afiord the or it may be l as obtained in some mills may be used withbest results. I have found, however, that linters' is a very e'fli'cient substitute for sulfite pulp, provided it receives suitable preliminary treatment. Ordinary cotton fiber or linters tends to become matted during the stirring, and does not distribute itself properly through the liquid. This d-ifiiculty is overcome, however, by cutting it into suiiiciently-short lengths, about one-fourth inch being suitable, or a very short fibered linters out any preliminary treatment. The cut cot-- ton fibers and the short-fiber linters are to be regarded as equivalent for the purposes of this invention. Also, the cotton fibers being tubular, tend to absorb considerable oil; this tendency however can be overcome by wet ting them, either with water orwith caustic soda solution, just before they are charged into the kettle. The aqueous liquid in the interior .of the fiber prevents absorptionof oil, and moreover, in case caustic solution is used, the soaps are formed largely in the interior of the fibers from which they do not show the same tendency to escape during filtration and pressing. This wetting, how ever, is not essential in all cases.

The cake resulting from the process as above described, contains cellulose in the and pulverizing; and it has been found that in the course of this conversion, the cellulose which it contains is converted in part into a colloidaLcondition, in which it is quite unobjectionable as a filler, and is not perceptible to the ordinary vision when the soap powder is dissolved in water.

Or if desired, the pressed cake, instead of being converted into soap, ma-y be cut with acid to make the so-called black rease, which may be drawn off after washing and shipped as such. In the event it is pro posed to cut the foots with acidfor the manufacture of black grease, it is desirable to use sodium sulfate for the dehydration of the soaps in the refining process; whereas sodium carbonate is to be preferred in case ers, separating the bulk of the oil by filtra-' tion, and subjecting the resulting cake containing the linters to mechanical pressure to expel a part of the remaining oil.

2. The process of refining saponifiable oils and preparing soap products,- which consists in treating the oil with an alkali and a cellulosic absorbent, separating the bulk of the oil, and digesting the separated foots, containing the cellulosic absorbent, with alkali for the preparation of a soap product containing a cellulosic filler.

3. The process of refining saponifiable oils and preparing soap products, which consists in treating the oil with an alkali and a cellulosic absorbent, separating the bulk of the oil by filtration, subjecting the resulting cake to mechanical pressure to expel a part of the remaining oil and digesting the pressed foots, containlng the cellulosic absorbent, with alkali forthe preparation of a soap product containing the cellulosic filler.

4. The process of refining saponifiable oils and preparing soap products, which consists in treating the oil with an alkali and a cellulosic absorbent, separating the bulk of. the oil, digesting the separated foots, containing the cellulosic absorbent, with alkali for the preparation of a soap product containing the cellulosic filler, and converting the said soap product into soap powder.

, 5. The process of refining saponifiable oilsand preparing soap products, which consists in treating the oil with an alkali and a cel lulosic absorbent, separating the bulk of the oil by filtration, subjecting the resulting cake to mechanical pressure to expel a part of the remaining oil, digesting the pressed foots, containing the cellulosic absorbent, with alkali for the preparation of a soap product containing the cellulosic filler, and converting the said soap product into soap powder.

6. In a process of refining saponifiable oils, the step which consists in agitating the oil during the refining process wlth hnters impregnated with an aqueous solution of caustic alkali. y

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES BASKERVILLE. 

